Drew Carey puts 'Price' contestants at ease - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Janice · 03-26-2008, 08:12 PM

http://www.variety.com/article/VR111...ryId=2906&cs=1

Carey puts 'Price' contestants at ease

Barker's replacement gets high marks in first year

Drew Carey has no problem recognizing the star of "The Price Is Right."

"It's the contestant, not the game, not the host. It's that person up there on the stage who goes on a journey, and the audience is right there with them," Carey says. "The host is just the guide. All I have to do is just show up in a good mood and be nice to everybody."

Just being modest? Sure. Carey has stepped in quite nicely actually, having the pressure to fill the shoes for icon Bob Barker, who retired last year amid tremendous fanfare. Ratings for the daytime version are down about 15% -- certainly not unexpected considering the handoff from a gameshow legend to a comic, and it's a number CBS can live with -- plus the primetime version of "Price" is a big hit for the Eye with more specials on the way.

Both "Price" and Barker won Daytime Emmys in 2007, and it will be interesting to see if Carey, in his first year as "Price" host, is nominated this year as well.

Carey says he believes all great gameshows have a built-in mythology.

The audience sees the contestant and wants that contestant to succeed. The host draws out the contestant's story, making the audience root for him or her.

"Whether it's 'American Idol' or 'The Price Is Right,' we invest in these people and want them to win," Carey says. "'The Price Is Right' is a genius show on so many levels. The people are so excited and the stakes aren't so high that it's going to change anybody's life. It's all about having a good time."

Carey is quick to look back at the transition of holding the skinny mic and can appreciate Barker's words of wisdom.

"His advice was to be myself and 'don't do the show like I did,'" Carey recalls. "That was either good advice or a warning. Maybe it was a threat."

With "Price" doing well and "Deal or No Deal" continuing to be a ratings champ for NBC, David Schwartz of GSN (and co-author of "The Encyclopedia of TV Game Shows") sees the confluence of a popular show and host as an equation for success.

"You have to have a good game to start out with," Schwartz explains. "The most successful gameshows have simple formats, but I don't think 'Deal or No Deal,' for example, would have been as successful without Howie Mandel. The game is to pick a suitcase. Howie draws out the suspense and weaves all the elements into just the right mix."

Some gameshows fail because they are too complicated, Schwartz says, while others couldn't match the game to the personality of the host. The best shows, he adds, are the ones that have the perfect match of emcee and game.

"Gene Rayburn was perfect for 'The Match Game,' and you can't imagine 'Let's Make a Deal' with anyone other than Monty Hall," Schwartz says, "but many gameshows have been able to survive host changes."

"Jeopardy!" was a huge hit with Art Fleming as host, and when it came back in 1984 with new host Alex Trebek, it never missed a beat.

Adam Rose, who became the first $1 million winner on the Feb. 22 "The Price Is Right" primetime edition, says he's been watching the show his entire life and embraced the change from Barker to Carey.

"I think I've watched more than 1,000 episodes," Rose says, "and, to be honest, I like that I was on with Drew Carey because he really put me at ease. He made me comfortable and feel like I was at home."

Rose says while the game is important, he believes the host plays a vital role in its popularity.

"I'll watch a gameshow that isn't very challenging if the host is good," Rose says. "Without Howie Mandel, all you have is a bunch of random suitcases. When I first watched 'Deal or No Deal,' I thought it wouldn't be good, but with Howie, I just can't turn it off. He makes every show interesting, even though nothing in the game changes."

Ireneparalegal · 03-26-2008, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janice

Carey is quick to look back at the transition of holding the skinny mic and can appreciate Barker's words of wisdom.
"His advice was to be myself and 'don't do the show like I did,'" Carey recalls. "That was either good advice or a warning. Maybe it was a threat."

To all those who hate Drew for being chosen or felt he couldn't do the job of hosting...

Bob's words of wisdom to Drew were perfect...BE YOURSELF DREW!!!!

I LOVE DREW

The Great One · 03-27-2008, 05:36 PM

The article brings up many good points about what makes a game show fun to watch.

friendsfan77 · 03-27-2008, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

To all those who hate Drew for being chosen or felt he couldn't do the job of hosting...

Bob's words of wisdom to Drew were perfect...BE YOURSELF DREW!!!!

I agree. That's one of the reasons why I love Drew on the show. He's being himself. And he's having a really good time on the show. He really puts a new spirit into the show and helps make it fun again for me.

So true about Jeopardy!, too. Apparently in 1984 a lot of people were skeptical when Art Fleming wasn't coming back, and they were getting Alex. It's awesome how well that show has done over the past 20+ years.

Ireneparalegal · 03-27-2008, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by friendsfan77

I agree. That's one of the reasons why I love Drew on the show. He's being himself. And he's having a really good time on the show. He really puts a new spirit into the show and helps make it fun again for me.

So true about Jeopardy!, too. Apparently in 1984 a lot of people were skeptical when Art Fleming wasn't coming back, and they were getting Alex. It's awesome how well that show has done over the past 20+ years.

Yes, poor Alex Trebek, he had to deal with the skepticism of those who thought no one can replace Art. He proved those yahoos wrong too.

JulieSomoski · 03-28-2008, 01:59 PM

He really seems to be proving himself has host. I don't really get why people just won't give Drew a chance. I can understand why people liked Bob - he was one of the most professional hosts on television. Drew Carey, on the other hand, isn't that professional, and does mess up at times, but that's why I like him even more than Bob. He's just an average guy hosting the longest running game show in history.

Ireneparalegal · 03-28-2008, 03:44 PM

^^^^ Agreed. Not to mention Drew makes me

at times on the show, which in itself is great.

friendsfan77 · 03-28-2008, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roseanne88-97

He really seems to be proving himself has host. I don't really get why people just won't give Drew a chance. I can understand why people liked Bob - he was one of the most professional hosts on television. Drew Carey, on the other hand, isn't that professional, and does mess up at times, but that's why I like him even more than Bob. He's just an average guy hosting the longest running game show in history.

Not to mention Bob made plenty of mistakes too, even in his prime. That's why I love some of the hosts I do. They're good, but they're not perfect and they know they're not and they don't try to be.

Ireneparalegal · 03-28-2008, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by friendsfan77

Not to mention Bob made plenty of mistakes too, even in his prime. That's why I love some of the hosts I do. They're good, but they're not perfect and they know they're not and they don't try to be.

I remember a couple of times when the games sometimes didn't work, like when the price was supposed to show, but it didn't move (reveal the price), Bob kicked it.

JulieSomoski · 03-28-2008, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

^^^^ Agreed. Not to mention Drew makes me

at times on the show, which in itself is great.

He's hilarious on the show at times. And I love the fact that he's not there for the fame, he's there to win people prizes. You can tell he really cares about the contestants when their up on stage. Bob, on the other hand, when someone lost, he'd say "That's too bad . . . we'll be back after this."

Ireneparalegal · 03-28-2008, 04:03 PM

Drew is indeed hilarious. Of course, that is Drew. Bob made me chuckle many a time too. A few weeks ago while watching TPIR, there was a game and it was moving around like a ferris wheel-can't recall the name of the game right now- anyhoo, he had the guy who was behind the game making it turn, come out from behind and he introduced him to the audience and the guy smiled and waved and went back behind the game.

I thought that was so nice. I would love to see more of that. Let's us see the people behind the scenes.

snl 70s show fan · 03-28-2008, 04:33 PM

i also dont understand all the drew hate i miss bob but drew is dong a great job i like the way he seemes so down to earth and talks to the contestants on ther own level one of my fave moments was on his first show and they were playing a game in wich phillips gelcaps was a product and the contestant couldnt read what it said so drew tells her oh those are gelcaps for contsiapion and stuff the reason i thought that was so funny was that in 50 years of hosting game shows i dont think bob would have used a pharse like conastaption and stuff it made drew seem more like a buddy that you would invite home and split a beer with

Ireneparalegal · 03-28-2008, 04:39 PM

^^^

Yes, exactly. Drew just said it like it is. I love when he has something funny to say abt the prizes too, that just kills me. I hear the audience laughing too.

JulieSomoski · 03-28-2008, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

^^^

Yes, exactly. Drew just said it like it is. I love when he has something funny to say abt the prizes too, that just kills me. I hear the audience laughing too.

I love when he makes fun of the smaller products, like ones played in "It's in the bag" or "grocery game." I remember an episode earlier in the season, where it was a young contestant and one of the prizes was dental paste. Drew said "Well, that oughta come in handy." A perfect example for why a comic is perfect for a gameshow.

Bob, to me, was always the star of the show. Now Drew's the host, and he always wants the contestant to feel like the star. You can tell he really loves winning people prizes.

Ireneparalegal · 03-28-2008, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roseanne88-97

I love when he makes fun of the smaller products, like ones played in "It's in the bag" or "grocery game." I remember an episode earlier in the season, where it was a young contestant and one of the prizes was dental paste. Drew said "Well, that oughta come in handy."

Perfect thing to say!

Exactly, being a comedian in a game show brings some much needed humor to a show that can at times be stagnant.

03-26-2008, 08:12 PM	#1
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,388	Drew Carey puts 'Price' contestants at ease http://www.variety.com/article/VR111...ryId=2906&cs=1 Carey puts 'Price' contestants at ease Barker's replacement gets high marks in first year Drew Carey has no problem recognizing the star of "The Price Is Right." "It's the contestant, not the game, not the host. It's that person up there on the stage who goes on a journey, and the audience is right there with them," Carey says. "The host is just the guide. All I have to do is just show up in a good mood and be nice to everybody." Just being modest? Sure. Carey has stepped in quite nicely actually, having the pressure to fill the shoes for icon Bob Barker, who retired last year amid tremendous fanfare. Ratings for the daytime version are down about 15% -- certainly not unexpected considering the handoff from a gameshow legend to a comic, and it's a number CBS can live with -- plus the primetime version of "Price" is a big hit for the Eye with more specials on the way. Both "Price" and Barker won Daytime Emmys in 2007, and it will be interesting to see if Carey, in his first year as "Price" host, is nominated this year as well. Carey says he believes all great gameshows have a built-in mythology. The audience sees the contestant and wants that contestant to succeed. The host draws out the contestant's story, making the audience root for him or her. "Whether it's 'American Idol' or 'The Price Is Right,' we invest in these people and want them to win," Carey says. "'The Price Is Right' is a genius show on so many levels. The people are so excited and the stakes aren't so high that it's going to change anybody's life. It's all about having a good time." Carey is quick to look back at the transition of holding the skinny mic and can appreciate Barker's words of wisdom. "His advice was to be myself and 'don't do the show like I did,'" Carey recalls. "That was either good advice or a warning. Maybe it was a threat." With "Price" doing well and "Deal or No Deal" continuing to be a ratings champ for NBC, David Schwartz of GSN (and co-author of "The Encyclopedia of TV Game Shows") sees the confluence of a popular show and host as an equation for success. "You have to have a good game to start out with," Schwartz explains. "The most successful gameshows have simple formats, but I don't think 'Deal or No Deal,' for example, would have been as successful without Howie Mandel. The game is to pick a suitcase. Howie draws out the suspense and weaves all the elements into just the right mix." Some gameshows fail because they are too complicated, Schwartz says, while others couldn't match the game to the personality of the host. The best shows, he adds, are the ones that have the perfect match of emcee and game. "Gene Rayburn was perfect for 'The Match Game,' and you can't imagine 'Let's Make a Deal' with anyone other than Monty Hall," Schwartz says, "but many gameshows have been able to survive host changes." "Jeopardy!" was a huge hit with Art Fleming as host, and when it came back in 1984 with new host Alex Trebek, it never missed a beat. Adam Rose, who became the first $1 million winner on the Feb. 22 "The Price Is Right" primetime edition, says he's been watching the show his entire life and embraced the change from Barker to Carey. "I think I've watched more than 1,000 episodes," Rose says, "and, to be honest, I like that I was on with Drew Carey because he really put me at ease. He made me comfortable and feel like I was at home." Rose says while the game is important, he believes the host plays a vital role in its popularity. "I'll watch a gameshow that isn't very challenging if the host is good," Rose says. "Without Howie Mandel, all you have is a bunch of random suitcases. When I first watched 'Deal or No Deal,' I thought it wouldn't be good, but with Howie, I just can't turn it off. He makes every show interesting, even though nothing in the game changes."

03-27-2008, 05:36 PM	#3
The Great One Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Aug 29, 2006 Posts: 6,378	The article brings up many good points about what makes a game show fun to watch.
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03-28-2008, 01:59 PM	#6
JulieSomoski Roseanne Reboot - March 27! Forum Veteran Join Date: Nov 06, 2004 Location: Michigan Posts: 7,558	He really seems to be proving himself has host. I don't really get why people just won't give Drew a chance. I can understand why people liked Bob - he was one of the most professional hosts on television. Drew Carey, on the other hand, isn't that professional, and does mess up at times, but that's why I like him even more than Bob. He's just an average guy hosting the longest running game show in history.
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03-28-2008, 03:44 PM	#7
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	^^^^ Agreed. Not to mention Drew makes me at times on the show, which in itself is great.

03-28-2008, 04:03 PM	#11
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	Drew is indeed hilarious. Of course, that is Drew. Bob made me chuckle many a time too. A few weeks ago while watching TPIR, there was a game and it was moving around like a ferris wheel-can't recall the name of the game right now- anyhoo, he had the guy who was behind the game making it turn, come out from behind and he introduced him to the audience and the guy smiled and waved and went back behind the game. I thought that was so nice. I would love to see more of that. Let's us see the people behind the scenes.

03-28-2008, 04:33 PM	#12
snl 70s show fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Jun 14, 2005 Location: in the forman basment Posts: 2,454	i also dont understand all the drew hate i miss bob but drew is dong a great job i like the way he seemes so down to earth and talks to the contestants on ther own level one of my fave moments was on his first show and they were playing a game in wich phillips gelcaps was a product and the contestant couldnt read what it said so drew tells her oh those are gelcaps for contsiapion and stuff the reason i thought that was so funny was that in 50 years of hosting game shows i dont think bob would have used a pharse like conastaption and stuff it made drew seem more like a buddy that you would invite home and split a beer with

03-28-2008, 04:39 PM	#13
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	^^^ Yes, exactly. Drew just said it like it is. I love when he has something funny to say abt the prizes too, that just kills me. I hear the audience laughing too.